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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78019	A divine tragedie lately acted, or, A collection of sundrie memorable examples of Gods judgements upon Sabbath-breakers, and other like libertines, in their unlawfull sports, hapning within the realme of England, in the compasse onely of few yeers last past, since the book was published, worthy to be known and considered of all men, especially such, who are guilty of the sin or archpatrons thereof. / By that worthy divine Mr. Henry Burton.	Burton, Henry, 1578-1648.; Prynne, William, 1600-1669, attributed name.	1642 (1642)	Wing B6161; Thomason E176_1; ESTC R18494	27,899	47

transgression of Gods holy commandment then of what holy commandment but of the fourth And if of the fourth then the holy keeping of the Lords day for the Christian Sabbath is grounded upon the fourth Commandment and commanded in it as God hath abundantly testified by his many remarkable judgements even within these two yeers as hath been shewed Ob. But here some may object God may punish men for the breach of humane ordinances which are out of the expresse commandments of God So in this instance God may punish the violation or prophanation of the Lords day by such sports or wakes as being a breach of a humane ordinance or Ecclesiasticall institution Answ I answer it is true all humane ordinances being not against Gods word are to be observed for conscience sake of Gods commandment commanding subjection to all ordinances of men for the Lords sake Aud if it were a humane ordinance to dedicate this day of holy rest to God by a perpetuall vow and Decree then the greater is their sin that devoure that which is sanctified and after the vow make inquirie how it may be violated So as they are liable to the like judgements for so doing without repentance THE EPILOGVE THus have I presented you with a large Scene of late severall examples of Gods judgements upon Sabbath-breakers and such a So the Statute of 1. Caroli c. 1. stiles them disorderly people who have been so presumptuous as to prophane the Lords own sacred day against the monitions of Gods faithfull Ministers with unnecessarie labour vain sports and idle pastimes To which I might annex many ancient Precedents of like nature which I pretermit onely one excepted which is remarkable In the yeer of our Lord 1583. in the famous Metropolis of this our Land the City of London two Citizens the one leaving his wife the other her husband and committing adulterie together on the Lords day it pleased God to strike them dead with fire from heaven whilest they were in the very act of uncleannesse their bodies being left dead in the place half burnt up sending out a most loathsome savour for a spectacle of Gods avenging Justice unto others to teach them both to shun the sin of adultery and of Sabbath-breaking too and to take heed how they commit any fin or wickednesse at any time and especially on Gods sacred day or how they follow dauncing may-games Morisdaunces Ales and such lascivious pastimes b Vincentius Volnacensis Spec. moral li. 3. Ps. 9. Dist 6. Mr. Northbrook Stubs Brant Lovel and others in their Treatises against dauncing which commonly end in whoredome adultery as being strong allurements thereunto this judgement was so famous and remarkable that Laurentius Bayenlinke a forrain Historian in his Opus Chronologicum orbis universi Antwerp 1611. p. 110. hath thought good to register it to posterity if any deem those judgements strange or that God should iustice such punishments on this sin which some now justifie as a part of Christian liberty both in the Pulpit and in c The late Treatise History and Discourse of the Sabbath Sunday No Sabbath Doctor Pri. and a soveraigne Antidote against Sabbatarian Novelties printed works I shall onely intreat such to remember that the whole Convocation house all the Arcbbishops Bishops Archdeacons and greatest Clerks of England in their book intituled The Institution of a Christian Man subscribed with all their names and dedicated to King Hen. 8. an●… 1537. and King Hen. 8. himself in his own book inscribed A necessarie doctrine and erudition for any Christian man set forth by the Kings Majestie of England with the advise and approbation of the Lords spirituall and temporall and Nether house of Parliament ann 1543. and by the King himself dedicated under his name and title to all his faithfull and loving Subjects and published by vertue of the Statute of 30. H. 8. c. 26. in the exposition of the fourth Commandment have in the very dawning of Reformation injoyned all Bishops and Preachers diligently to instruct and teach the people committed to their spirituall charge and I wish that some Bishops would now do it that against this commandment generally do offend all they which having no lawfull impediment do not give themselves upon the holy day to hear the Word of God to remember the benefits of God to give thanks for the same to pray to exercise such holy works both publikely in the Church and privately in their houses as be appointed for such holy dayes but as commonly is used passe the time either in idlenesse in gluttony in riot or other vain and idle pastime Do * Ergo it is in force and the prophaning of the Lords day a sin against it break this Commandment For surely such keeping of holy day is not according to the intent and meaning of this Commandment as some new * As the Treatise History Discourse of the Sabbath Doctors now dogmatize but after the usage and custome of the Jews though some late Rabbies would make the world beleeve that the strict sanctification of the Lords day and the restraining of vain sports and pastimes on it is Jewish when a Epist 6. ad magnefianos Ignatius b Tract 3. in Iob. de 10. chordis c. 3. In Ps 32. 91. De consensu Evang li. 2. c. 77 Augustine c In Iob. Evang li. 8. c. 5. Cirillus Alexandrinus d Homily de festis diebus Ephraim Syrus e Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 13. Socrates Scholasticus f Codicis Theodosit l. 15. tit 5. lex 5. Theodosius the Emperour g Enare in Ps 91. Beda Vincentius Belvacensis and generally al Authors since have branded dauncing sports and recreations on the Lords day both as Jewish and heathenish and i Edit 5. Lon. 1624. Sect. 38. n. 1. p. 110. Se. 43. digr 46. n. 6. p. 165. 186. Dr. John White in his way to the true Church defended and published by his elder brother Dr. Fr. White now Bishop of Ely k In 4. preceptum Mr. Zanchie l In Iohn Eu. c. 7. fol. 273. Wolfg. Musculus m Proposition for the Christian Sabbath p. 4. Mr. John Sprint as Popish and licentious tending to the overthrow of piety and desolation of publike Government and doth not please God but doth much more offend him and provoke his indignation and wrath towards us For as n In Iohan. tract 3. in Ps 32. 91. de 10. chordl●… c 3. St. Augustine saith of the Jews they should be better occupied labouring in the h Speculum morale li. 3. part 9. c. 6. fields and to be at plough then to be idle at home And women should better bestow their time in spinning of wooll then on the Sabbath day to loose their time in leaping or dauncing and other idle wantonnesse Now if the whole Clergy King State and Parliament were so quick-sighted as in those times of darknesse to see a Lords day

upon the ice on the river Trent neer to Ganisborow coming all together in a scuffle the ice suddenly brake and they were all drowned Example 6. At Dover the very same Lords day 1635. that the book was read one in S. James Parish that played on a kitt went and plaied and thereby called together a sort of wenches and young men But he was thereupon that very day struck by divine hand so as within two daies he died Example 7. At Thurlow in Suffolke one making a Feast to his friends on the Sabbath day for joy of the publishing of the Book for sports was the next day pressed to death by the sudden fall or a faggot stack Example 8. At Hellings by five or six miles from Af●● in Sussex the book being read on the Lords day in the Church by the Minister on the next day being Munday an honest man one Tomkins being on his way a neighbour overtakes him and scoffingly asks him if he would go daunce with him the next Sunday to whom the man answered Take heed that thou be not dauncing in hell before that day come or before it be long By the next week Gods hand fell on this Scoffer that himself and two more of his family died Example 9. On February 9. 1634. being the Lords day an Apothecaries man in Limestreet London rid to Barnet with another companion to make merry who returning home drunk neer High-gate met a Tinker and offering him some abuse the Tinker strikes one of their horses whereat the one bid the other run him thorow who drawing his Rapier ran the Tinker thorow the breast that he fell down dead thereupon being by and by apprehended and confessing the fact they were both sent to Newgate Example 10. At Thornton neer Westchester 1634. the people there upon the first publishing of the book prepared for a solemn summer-ale The bringing in of their Lady flora should have been guarded with a Marshall troop the lustiest wench and stoutest young man in the town were chosen to be the purveyors for cakes and for ribbons for favours the solemnity was to be on the Munday but the preparation on the Lords day this lusty tall maid on the Saturday before went to the mill to fetch home the meal for cakes on her head she being strong and able for the purpose but in the way passing by a hedge she was suddenly struck by a divine stroke and fell into the ditch where she was found dead she was suffered to lie abroad in that pickle all the Lords day till Munday morning when the Coroner being sent for she was thence carried to her grave immediately where all her solemnity was buried with her and all her vain thoughts in that verie day wherein the great solemnity should have been And see what a good effect this wrought in the whole town First all their mirth was turned into mourning no summer ale kept and besides that they being moved by the dreadfull stroke of God took their May-pole down which they had before set up and never after would presume to set it up again or to have any more summer-ales or may-games God grant they continue in their sober mindes and that all other would learn to be wise by their example Example 11. In Yorkshire at a Wake in the Parish of Otley at Baildon 1634. on the Lords day two of them sitting at drink late in the night fell out and being parted the one a little after finding his fellow sitting by the fire with his back towards him comes behinde him and with a hatchet chines him down the back so as his bowels fell out the murtherer flying immediately and being hotly pursued lept into a river and so drowned himself O fearfull fruits of carnall liberty Example 12. One at Ham neer Kingston being a scoffer of all goodnesse 1635. and a common prophaner of the Sabbath going abroad to see his grounds on the Lords day and finding some neighbours cattell to have broken in he runs to drive them out and that with such eagernesse that he fell down dead instantly upon the place Example 13. One Wright at Kingston being a scoffer of Religion and rejoycing much at the suspending of his Minister and others for not reading the book of Sports in their Churches saying he hoped to see them all so served shortly was within a day or two after struck with a dead Palsey all over the one side and with blindnesse and dumbnesse that he could neither go nor see nor speak and so lay in a miserable manner for a fort-night and then died Example 14. In Moorefields neer London 1635. sundry youths playing at Cat on the Lords day two of them fell out and the one hitting the other under the eare with his Cat he therewith fell down for dead in the place the other was sent to prison but the dead for the time by Gods mercy recovering the prisoner was released which may be a warning both to them and all other youth to take heed how they so prophane the Lords day Example 15. April 18. 1635. being Saturday one travelling with three others from London to Maydenhead he the rest spending the Sabbath there would travell on his way the next day being the Lords day contrary both to Gods commandment and also of the Lady whom he served who had given him strict charge to observe the Sabbath and not to travell on it He rode in the morning to Henley and there heard the Sermon after that he fell to travell in the afternoon but as he went in the way leading his horse in his hand gently down a plain descent and even way his horse suddenly fell and broke both his fore legs the man fore agast at this not more sudden then strange disaster which he could not but attribute to the immediate hand of God and being past all hope of recovery was forced himself to knock his horse on the head and so to leave him and being the next day overtaken at Abington by his company whom he had left the day before and they asking him how it fell out he was no further on his way he smote his breast and told them how it had befallen him in the way saying that he had heard many a good Sermon yet none of them or any thing else did so work upon his conscience as this thing did and that this example should be a warning unto him for ever travelling on the Sabbath day again This is testified under the hands of those three which had travelled with him and overtook him Example 16. At Dartmouth 1634. upon the coming forth and publishing of the book for sports a company of younkers on May-day morning before day went into the countrey to fetch home a May pole with Drumme and Trumpet whereat the neighbouring Inhabitants were affrighted supposing some enemies had landed to sack them the Pole being thus brought home and set up they began to drink healths about it

dangerous as death is expected and little hope of life remaineth Example 50. At Craies two miles from Billerikey a servant of M. Holdsworth Minister there ringing on the Sabbath his Master sent to forbid him but he would ring still and before he had done ringing he was struck sick and a while after died This was a little after the book for sports was publikely read in the Church Example 51. In June 1635. on the Lords day the Tapster and Chamberlain of the Queens head in South warke rid into Kent to be merry and having drunk liberally riding homewards the one of them fell from his horse and broke his neck Example 52. Also in June 1635. and as some report the very same Lords day in Southwarke at the red Lion neer S. Georges Church in the afternoon a man with another sate drinking so long that the other about six of the clock departing fell a sleep so that he never awaked again Example 53. In the moneth of July 1634. one Mr. Quince the Chirurgion of the Tower of London having an horse to sel and meeting with a chapman went to Coleman-street where the horse was kept to see and contract for him on the Lords day in the afternoon the horse being sadled Mr. Quince gets upon his back to shew his chapman how well he would pace which done as he was a lighting off his back his foot which lighted on the ground slipped the other foot hung in the stirrup so as he fell to the ground and with the fall brake his thigh-bone short off so that he was carried from the place to an house neer adjoyning where he lay in great pain and agonie for eight weeks space or more almost despairing of his life and never stirring out of his bed at last it pleased God by degrees to recover and restore him to the use of his leg again he having little use of it and that with great pain for half a yeers space and more His son had disswaded him from riding because it was the Lords day and himself hath since acknowledged it a just judgement of God upon him for prophaning that sacred time which hath made him more carefully to frequent the Church and to avoid the prophanation of the Lords day ever since This the party himself and most of the Tower can testifie Example 54. Many more examples might here be added not onely such as have fallen out within these few yeers last past since the said book was published by the Ministers in their Churches but also since the book was first of all printed and published the very bruit whereof without being read by Ministers was enough and too much to imbolden youth to take their liberty in prophaning the Lords day but for the present I will adde but one more At Chidlington upon the edge of Hertfordshire not far from Hitchin a company of fellows upon a holy day being to play a match at Foot-ball one of them was tolling the bell to assemble the rest some being come into the Church the randevoze of their meeting suddenly it thundring was seen a black ball come tumbling down a hill neer by which took its course directly into the Church there it flew into the Bell-free and first slew him that tolled the bell then it flustered about the Church and hurted divers of them and at last bursting left a filthy stinke like to that of brimstone and so left a terror to all such spend thrifts of precious time and especially such as is dedicated to sacred uses Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the leving kindnesse of the Lord. Psal 107. 43. Example 55. Vpon May Eve Thomas Tree of Glocester Carpenter in the Parish of S. Michael some coming unto him and asking him whether he would go with them to fetch the May-pole he swore by the Lords wounds that he would though he never went more Now whiles he was working on the May-pole on May day morning before he had finished his work the Lord smote him with such a lamenesse and swelling in all his limbs that he could neither go nor lift his hands to his mouth to feed himself but kept his bed for half a yeer together and stil goes lame to this day May 4. 1636. Example 56. About a yeer since 1635. in Ashton under the Hill in the Parish of Beckford in the countrey of Glocester the Minister there Mr. Blackwell having occasion in his Sermon in the afternoon on the Lords day to reprove the prophaning of that day by sports c. as soon as the Sermon was done a young man of that place used these words Now Mr. Blackwell hath done we 'le begin and so taking the cudgels playes with them and at the second or third bout he received a thrust in one of his eyes that thrust it quite out so as it hanged by and could never recover it again THese Examples of divine justice so notorious so remarkable both for humber and variety having fallen out in so narrow a compasse of time and so dispersed over the whole land as every particular place and countrey might take speciall notice thereof if they will not take and make impression in our stony hearts to move us to speedy repentance as for many other enormities and crying sins so in speciall for this our ring leading sin of the heathenish prophanation of the Sabbath or Lords day what plea can we make for our selves why the Lord of the Sabbath should not send some universall epidemicall sweeping calamity upon the land sparing neither small nor great And now that the plague and pestilence begins to break forth and spreads it self much amongst us the Lord shooting these his terrible venemous arrows from which not even Princes nor Prelates palaces can secure themselves from becoming his buts and marks What can we more impute it unto as the cause thereof then to this grand sin of the prophanation of the Sabbath or Lords day occasioned so much the more by the publishing of the late book for sports and that by the Ministers themselves For was it not the judgement and confession of King James of famous memory and of the whole State and Kingdome in an exhortation published in that great plague beginning with his reign 1603. where are these words The Lords Sabbath is not kept holy but polluted c. and therefore the cause is apparant why the plague is broken in amongst us And was not the same exhortation afterwards republished by our gracious King Charles whom God long preserve a religious and righteous Governor over us in the first yeer of his reign with the approbation of the whole Parliament where the same is acknowledged of that other great plague in the beginning of his Reigne 1625. namely that one principall and speciall cause thereof was the not keeping holy but polluting the Lords day And if this were a principall cause of those great plagues then why not of this which now we suffer

Sabbath in the fourth Commandment to be Wholly onely and intirely dedicated to God and his true worship as they there teach and so pious as to beleeve that the exercise of vain idle sports pastimes and dauncing on it did much more offend God then ploughing or spinning and provoke his wrath and indignation towards us no wonder if we in the clear sunshine of the Gospel behold so many sad spectacles of his wrath and indignation against the offenders of this commandment in this kinde to teach these blinde Seers and seducing guides as o In his Sermons Bishop Latimer long since named them that God is now as jealous for the sanctification of his day and as much offended with the prophanenesse of it and infringers of the fourth Commandment by unnecessarie labours travell or idle pastimes as he had been in any age if not rather much more in regard of the great light of the Gospel that hath for these many yeers so clearly shined amongst us which if they will not yet beleeve I shall at once close up their mouthes with the resolution of our Homilies ratified by p 13. Eliz. c. 12. which ratifies the 39. Articles Act of Parliament and the 35. Article of our Church to which these Novellers have subscribed and whose Patronage they pretend against all q The treatise and history of the Sabbath novell Sabatarians But alas saith r Part. 1. of the time and place of praier p. 126. the Homily all these notwithstanding and I pray God I may not still say notwithstanding all these fresh examples it is lamentable to see the wicked boldnesse of those that will be counted Gods people who passe nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the Sunday And these people are of two sorts the one sort if they have businesse to do though there be no extreme need they must not spare for the Sunday they must ride journeys on the Sunday they must drive and carry on the Sunday they must come and ferry on the Sunday they must buy and sell on the Sunday they must keep Markets and Fairs on the Sunday finally they use all dayes alike work dayes and holy dayes are all one The other sort is Worse so the Homily against these * Treatise of the Sabbath day p. 231. new masters who make labour in mens callings on the Lords day Worse and more unlawfull then dauncing and Pastimes contrary to the judgement of ſ Tract 3. in Ioh. In Ps 32. 91. de 10. chordis c. 3. Saint Augustine Gregory the great t Apud Alex. Alensis summ Theologiae part 4. q. 11. m. 2. Art 11. Alensis and all u Media villa Peraldus Nider Volaterranus F. Martyr Musculus Stuckius Aretius Hyperius Szegedine Angel de Clavasio Dr bound Dr. Criffith Williams Practise of Piety Osmund Lake and infinite others Writers since who una voce resolve that it is better and more lawfull to plough and spin on the Sabbath day then to daunce for although they will not travell and labour on the Sunday as they do on the work day yet they will not rest in holinesse as God commandeth but they rest in ungodlinesse and filthinesse prauncing in their pride pranking and pricking pointing and painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay they rest in excesse and superfluitie in gluttony and drunkennesse as they do at Wakes Ales and May-poles like rats and swine they rest in brawling and rayling in quarrelling and fighting they rest in wantonnesse and what else is dauncing Moris dauncing may gaming c. in toyish talking in filthy fleshlinesse so that it doth too evidently appear that God is more dishonoured and the devill better served on Sunday then upon all the dayes of the week besides And I assure you that the beasts that are commanded to rest on the Sunday honour God better then this kinde of people for they offend not God they break not their holy dayes Wherefore O ye people of God lay your hands upon your hearts repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickednesse stand in awe of the commandment of God gladly follow the example of God himself be not disobedient to the godly order of Christs Church used and kept from the Apostles times untill this day fear the displeasure and just plagues of Almighty God if ye be negligent and forbear not labouring and travelling on the a See the Homily ●… times stiles the Lords day and the 3. Homily of rebellion twice Sabbath day and do not resort together to celebrate and magnifie Gods blessed name in quiet holinesse and godly reverence I shall conclude all with the words of the Councell of Paris under Lewis and Lotharius Ann. 829. li. ●… c. 50. li. 3. c. 5. 19. Multa alia terribilia judicia c. Many other terrible judgements have been and hitherto are whereby is declared how much God is offended with the dishonour of this day Wherefore the Imperiall highnesse is specially to be implored of the b Note Priests that this power ordained of God for the honour and reverence of so great a day may put a fear into all men lest none of what condition soever presume on this holy and venerable day to use these and the like sports dauncings and leapings hereafter because while they do these things they both darken the glory of Christianity and give occasion to the blasphemers of Christs name the more to dishonour him We require also and earnestly intreat that in the observation of the Lords day as we have a long time beseeched you you use due care that unlesse great necessity constrain you free your selves on that day as much as may be from worldly cares and sollicitousnesse And that which becometh the honour of so great a day that both you your selves do it and by your example do teach and compell yours to do it We wholsomely admonish all faithfull people that they give due honour and reverence to the Lords day because the dishonour of this day doth both much swarve and abhor from Christian religion and doth without doubt procure the perill of souls to the violaters thereof And with that of the Councell of Burges an 1582. Apud Bach●…llum Decretae Ecclesiae Gall. l. 4. Tit. 7. c. 21. Although Lords dayes and holy dayes are instituted onely for this purpose that faithfull Christians abstaining from externall and gainfull works might more freely and with greater piety give themselves to divine worship and to the meditation of the infinite benefits of Gods goodnes towards mankinde and so being wholly taken up with the wholsome duties of religion should diligently beware as Ignatius admonisheth the Philippians that they should not abuse holy dayes with any disgrace or injuries yet notwithstanding in our times it preposterously and usually comes to passe that both solemne and religious dayes are not onely spent in transacting unlawfull and secular businesse but likewise in luxury lasciviousnesse prohibited sports and pastimes Revels and the exercising of other wickednesses whereupon it is not to be doubted that for the greatest part so many calamities wherewith we were so long since confirm●… justly inflicted on us by God who is incensed against us by so great wickednesse To appease whose present anger and likewise to avert his greater indignation hanging over our heads we command all Parish Priests of our Province that they frequently and seriously admonish the people that on Lords dayes they not onely keep themselves from all prohibited works but likewise that they be ex animo cordially and religiously present at all sacred mysteries of the Church and at the preaching of Gods Word and that they preterm it not the works of piety in relieving the poore comforting the afflicted and in doing other pious things wherein Christian profession and charitie do most of all shine forth And we exhort all Magistrates according to their and our duty as far as possibly we may that they would take care that those holy and solemne dayes should be holily and piously celebrated this being principally in their power and belonging to their charge Neither verily can any manner of Governing the Common-wealth be better or more praise-worthie then that which gives the first place and care to divine worship and religion FINIS LONDON Printed for John Wright junior and for Tho. Bates and are to be sold at their shops in the Old Baylie 1642.